While Tidal has faced intense criticism from artists and music fans alike since its high profile launch last month, the Jay Z-owned music streaming service has a supporter in Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.

Mumford & Sons, Steve Albini, Lily Allen and Ben Gibbard have been among those to scold the company with suggestions that its model will only favour mainstream acts, it will lead to more piracy and illegal downloading, and that the initiative is little more than a vanity project.

Posting via the social network yesterday (April 27), Dorsey publicly backed Tidal, writing: “I appreciate & respect people who depart from their strengths and take on new challenges. Been using Tidal & dig it!”

I appreciate & respect people who depart from their strengths and take on new challenges. Been using Tidal & dig it! https://t.co/KY8TBJjrfO

The computer programmer and businessman’s post also included a link to one of several tweets put out by Jay on Sunday (April 26) that attempted to clear the air about Tidal’s business model and assure users that the service is moving forward at a satisfactory pace. He also claimed that “big companies” are “spending millions on a smear campaign” against it.

“We are here for the long haul,” wrote the rapper. “Please give us a chance to grow & get better.”

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The Project Panther Bidco company, co-owned by Jay Z, acquired Tidal from its Norwegian parent company Aspiro for 464 million kroner (about £47 million) earlier this year. Jay launched Tidal at a star-studded New York event on March 30 that featured appearances from Kanye West, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Jack White, Coldplay, Arcade Fire, Rihanna, Daft Punk, Calvin Harris, Usher, Deadmau5 and Beyoncé, among other stars. The service’s intent, according to Jay, was to give artists a fairer share of revenue than other streaming options, such as Spotify.

Tidal launched with a number of exclusive releases for its initial subscribers, including the The White Stripes’ first-ever television appearance and Daft Punk’s 2006 film Electroma. Additionally there are playlists curated by Arcade Fire, Jay Z, Beyoncé and Coldplay.